Best Non-Toxic and Effective Bug Spray for Your Home

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Bugs play a huge role in maintaining biodiversity. They aid in pollination, give nutrients to the soil, and serve as food to other animals. However, they also tend to invade homes. They crawl on the skin which can cause irritation, allergies, and diseases. Not only are they detrimental to health and create an unsanitary condition in our homes, but some bugs also destroy plants. When dealing with these, you’ll need an effective bug spray to deter and keep them as far away from your home as possible.

But with lots of bug spray products available online, which ones are the best to use? Also, are there tips that you can follow to make sure that you’re getting the right product for the insect infestation in your home? Keep reading to find out all the answers below.

Tips When Choosing a Bug Spray for Your Home

Keeping bugs out of your precious home may seem like an endless battle at times. You might have already tried consistent home cleaning methods and blocking possible entry points that they can use. You might also have tried many products to solve this problem, only to get a disappointing result.

These tactics are taxing, but don’t give up just yet! Bug sprays are still the best solution to combat insect infestations! They are specially formulated to obliterate and deter pests. Here are some tips that you may follow in choosing the right (and better!) bug spray for your home:

Choose a Bug Spray That Is for the Pests You Want to Get Rid Of

For successful pest control using bug sprays, you’ll need to first identify the pest that you’re dealing with. Insects like mosquitoes, ants, flies, and roaches, are easy to spot since they tend to appear in plain sight. However, other pests like bed bugs and mites are sneaky. They tend to thrive in tight and hardly noticeable spaces. What you might mistake as ant bites might be caused by bed bugs hiding between your cushions.

Rodents, although not bugs, may also force entry into your home and garden. They could leave messy droppings inside your home and even burrow in the garden. But while they’re the pests that commonly invade homes, check if they’re truly the ones making all the ruckus in the attic or the basement. Remember, wild animals like opossums, skunks, and bats might also squeeze their way into your house. Therefore, you’ll need to make a thorough inspection to ensure that you’re dealing with pests and not wild animals.

Once you’ve identified the prime suspects that you’ll need to repel and or eradicate, you can choose the insecticide that is designed for use against them. You can easily do this by checking the bug spray product’s description. This specifies which insects they can repel with the substances they contain.

Look For the Ingredients of the Bug Spray

Bug spray has lots of variations. There are ones that you can spray on the skin and ones that need to be sprayed in the areas of your home.

An insect repellent, for example, usually targets mosquitoes, flies, gnats, and chiggers. They are usually made with DEET or N, N-Diethyl-m-toluamide, a chemical that deters mosquitoes by inhibiting their capacity to detect humans. Some products contain botanical oils too. These are natural substances that have scents that can ward off pests. Insect repellents are also applicable on the skin and can be used while indoors and on outdoor trips.

However, if you wish to eliminate those pests in your home instead of just repelling them, go for a bug spray that is designed to kill them. These are aerosol insecticides that typically contain active ingredients like Pyrethroids. These are compounds that act as neurotoxins to insects. Bug sprays that have these chemicals are typically effective against spiders as well.

For complete eradication of bed bugs though, a strong insecticide that is specifically designed for this hard-to-kill pest is ideal. You may get one that is made of natural deterrents such as geranium oil and cedarwood oil. If you’re dealing with garden bugs and rodents, you may also choose the bug sprays that are specially made for them.

Keep in mind, too, that while pesticides are only meant to kill pests, they can still harm your pets and other outdoor animals. The sprays’ chemical fumes might affect their respiratory system. Thus, it’s crucial to choose a non-toxic product. To reduce this risk, it is advisable to remove your pets temporarily from the area that you’re going to spray on.

Opt For Odor-Free Bug Spray

If you are sensitive to smell, you may opt for bug sprays that have little to no odor. Products that are mainly plant-based are ideal for this since they have no chemicals that produce a strong, foul odor. Once sprayed, they can even leave your room with a refreshing scent due to their natural fragrant ingredients.

However, you may also choose chemical-based ones. There are some insecticides that despite their chemical content, emit tolerable scents that also dissipate quickly. Some insecticides also incorporate fruity scents that mask chemical odors. These chemical ingredients are harsher on pests, therefore yielding more satisfactory results than organic ones.

Take note, however, that despite bug spray manufacturers following the safety guidelines designated by the American Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), some chemical-based products might still be toxic. Their ingredients can still irritate skin, eyes, and even trigger asthma attacks on a case-to-case basis. Thus, these products must be used with caution and in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Check The Volume of The Product

Get the right amount of bug spray based on the size of the infestation that you are dealing with. Remember that the bigger the need, the higher the volume of the bug spray that you’ll need to administer.

If you are dealing with a few flies in your home, a small bottle of bug spray will suffice. However, if you see roaches roaming in various areas of your home, you may need a can of aerosol (or even a gallon) to cover these areas. For mosquitoes, a spritz of bug spray can do the trick, but one gallon or more for fumigation is ideal. This is to cover all areas of your home and even the nearby areas, ensuring that these dangerous mosquitoes are forever eliminated.

Meanwhile, when dealing with outdoor pests and parasites, consider using the least amount possible. Such a small amount is effective enough to knock down and eliminate these pests quickly. This way, you can also minimize the chances of other animals, like birds and fish, being affected by chemical fumes.

10 Excellent Bug Sprays to Keep Your Home Safe

Here are 10 safe and effective bug sprays that you may get to wipe out the pests in your home:

1. OFF! Botanicals DEET-Free Bug Spray and Mosquito Repellent

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Most people don’t want annoying and disease-causing mosquitoes flying near them. You probably don’t either, which is why you need the OFF! Botanicals Bug Spray. With its plant-based formulation, this insect repellent is effective to use. It has pine oil extract, a natural ingredient that repels mosquitoes and flies. As a result, it can easily drive away all types of mosquitoes including those that carry Dengue and Zika virus. Aside from the effective formulation, OFF! Botanicals Spray is also DEET-free and has a small number of p-Methane. Therefore, it emits no strong chemical fumes and is ideal for those sensitive to smell. Simply spray it on your palms and spread it across all areas of your body.

Due to its odorless and natural formulation, this product is also safe for your children. You can apply it on them as a protection against bugs while playing indoors or in the backyard playground. The OFF! Botanicals Spray also comes in handy during outdoor activities. It can give you and your family protection for up to 2 hours, which is ideal for outdoor lounging, fishing, and short hikes.

2. Zevo Flying Insect Killer and Repellent Instant Action Spray

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An insect repellent that applies to the skin is convenient, but you’ll also need one that is designed to protect your homes. You may have this with the Zevo Instant Action Spray. Like OFF! Botanicals, this bug spray also has a plant-based formulation. It has geraniol as an active ingredient, which is an organic oil from geranium grass. This essential oil is capable of repelling and eventually killing pests, such as flies, fruit flies, gnats, and mosquitoes.

Thanks to its ingredients, the Zevo Instant Action Spray is therefore excellent for your home. You can spray it in any area of your house, especially in the kitchen and garden where these pests tend to thrive.

Tip: Aside from using the Zevo Instant Action Spray, it is best to maintain a clean home to prevent flies from coming back. For example, you may keep your trash in a covered bin or dispose of them often so flies won’t be attracted to the smell. You may also check for gaps and cracks in your home that may serve as entry points. Seal them to block off pests.

3. Eco Defense Bed Bug Spray

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Mosquitoes and flies aren’t the only common household pests that homeowners have to deal with. Stubborn bed bugs are tenacious as well. These apple seed-sized insects like to crawl and hide on mattresses, where they can feed on human blood. If you’re having a hard time getting rid of them, don’t worry because the Eco Defense Bed Bug Killer can help you out.

The Eco Defense Bed Bug spray has an organic formulation which makes it effective and fast-acting. Like Zevo, this bed bug killer is equipped with geranium oil. Thus, it is not only free of chemical scent but is also great in repelling and killing bed bugs. You may spray it directly on mattresses as well as on under-bed storage and closets where the bugs may hide.

Tip: Protect your items like clothes, shoes, and bags, using the spray. This way, you can guarantee that not only the eggs and nymphs are killed, but most importantly the adult bugs. You may also refer to and follow the product’s label instructions for the best results.

Read also: 8 Unbelievable Bed Bug Spray for 2024

4. EcoRaider Bed Bug Killer

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Another dependable bed bug killer is this one from EcoRaider. Like EcoDefense and the other products mentioned previously, the EcoRaider Bug Killer is made of natural bug-repelling ingredients. Hence, it can work effectively when directly sprayed on bugs. You may even apply it on beddings, or in closets, and cabinets in any area of your home.

With its plant-based formulation, the EcoRaider is also child and pet-friendly. Its organic components are less likely to cause skin irritation and allergies. Hence, you may use it to bug-proof your kid’s nursery as well as your pet’s playpen.

5. Nature-Cide All Purpose Insecticide 

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Isn’t it annoying when pests won’t go away despite your numerous attempts to repel them? Well, you can be successful this time with the Nature-Cide All Purpose Insecticide. Complete with natural ingredients, this product is designed to kill various pests. For instance, it contains clove oil and cottonseed oil, both of which can banish bedbugs and mosquitoes. Not only that, but these ingredients also work on ants and wasps. As a result, you may use it to clean your pest-infested kitchen and pantry. Just make sure to keep the food away from these areas when you’re using it.

Tip: As a safety precaution, it is also important to keep utensils and other kitchen tools covered when using bug sprays in the kitchen. You may place them in storage units with lids or better yet, wash them with water to make sure that they are free from the spray’s moisture and lingering smell.

6. Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer 

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Cockroaches are undeniably one of the most common (and most feared) household insects. The very thought of them makes people’s skin crawl due to their greasy appearance and penchant for emerging from the corners of our homes. But you don’t need to panic if faced with a cockroach infestation because there are lots of bug sprays that you can try. Take the Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer, for example.

The Ortho Home Defense Insecticide contains bug-killing chemicals such as Cypermethrin and Bifenthrin. They serve as neurotoxins and thus work great in immobilizing bugs. Therefore, this bug spray is ideal if you want to create a perimeter in your home against insects. It is also suitable to use against ants and centipedes.

7. Spectracide Bug Stop Home Barrier 

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You can also defeat the nuisance insects in your home with the Spectracide Bug Stop Home Barrier. It has a fast-acting formulation that consists of Gamma-Cyhalothrin. This is a form of Pyrethroids, which are chemicals that act as poisons to insects. Much like that of Home Defense, the Spectracide Bug Spray targets many insects such as flies, roaches, and wasps. It can also remove arachnids like spiders and scorpions from your home. Likewise, it can kill fleas and ticks, including the latter’s type that causes Lyme disease. With this wide insect coverage, Spectracide is an easy and convenient way to keep bugs at bay.

Read more: What Can I Spray On My Mattress To Kill Bed Bugs

8. Garden Safe Houseplant and Garden Insect Killer 

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If you’re into indoor and outdoor gardening, you need to keep your houseplants and outdoor herbs free from harmful pests. To do this, you’ll need an excellent insect killer like this one from Garden Safe.

Having Pyrethrums and Canola Oil as its active ingredients, this insecticide can combat pests for both your indoor and outdoor plants. For example, it can eliminate insects like leafhoppers, caterpillars, and aphids that all feed on the foliage of your houseplants. Although many herbs such as basil, bay leaves, and rosemary are naturally bug-repelling themselves, stubborn bugs can still find their way into your garden. If you see beetles and scales crawling on these herbs, you may also use the Garden Safe to cast them out. The same goes when you’re dealing with flies feasting on your ripening fruits and vegetables. Just directly apply it to your plants and see the difference!

9. Debug Organic Pest Control Spray

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Another non-toxic way to say goodbye to plant-withering pests is through the help of Debug Organic Pest Control Spray. It contains Neem Oil and Azadirachtin which are natural insect-repelling extracts from Neem trees. As a result, Debug Pest Control Spray can keep flowering plants and veggies away from bugs. You may spray it against aphids, mites, and beetles that ruin your roses and lavenders. In the same way, you may use it to shield the garden veggies like carrots, beans, and lettuce from the mentioned pests.

10. Mighty Mint Rodent Repellent Spray

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Bugs aren’t the only challenge when it comes to keeping your home clean and safe. Rodents can be a menace too. These pests do not only damage your items but also dirty your home with their foul-scented droppings. Worse, they transmit life-threatening diseases like Hantavirus and Leptospirosis. You may banish them in a fuss-free way with the Mighty Mint Rodent Repellent.

The Mighty Mint Rodent Repellent is effective in repelling rats and mites with its strong organic formulation. Plus, it has a refreshing peppermint scent to invigorate your home. As it is organic, this repellent is also safe for your pets and little ones. This makes it more ideal to use in any area of your home including the nursery, playpen, and kid’s craft room. You may also use it to banish rodents from your greenhouse and outdoor vegetable patch.

To wrap it up, bug sprays can be the perfect solution to your pest woes. They are reliable, safe, and effective to use. Grab one of the products that we discussed above to protect your home from destructive pests!